No Pain, No Gain
by sky's rocket
Summary: Sakura is trapped in a marriage with one of the country's most influential men. She is torn between keeping her family and pride together or taking her and her son far, far away. A home that isn't so sweet, a marriage that isn't so great, and a world where only money talks - no pain, no gain, right? [Rated M for V, S, L, Pairings: Undetermined]
1. It's a Battleground

**No Pain, No Gain  
**

Chapter 1: It's a Battleground

Disclaimer: This disclaimer goes for the entire duration of this story. I do not, will not, and have no plans of owning Naruto the series or any of the characters of the Naruto series and am writing this fan fiction for my own, and others', pleasure. Any original characters are of my creation and my creation only and are not to be put into any other fanfiction not of my creation without my express permission. This story will never be written for monetary profit/sold, Thank you for your time.

To the story!

* * *

"Mommy! Mommy!" He rushed to her, his small backpack almost sliding off his shoulders as his short legs struggled to push him faster and faster. A girl a grade below him stepped in his path as he redirected and continued to his mommy. This was the playground at pick up time... it might as well be called war in his eyes. It was the battle ground.

In the midst of going around other kids, pushing between the swing sets, going under the monkey bars, chugging through the sand box, and finally getting past the big kids, he had reached his destination before he even knew it!

He was pulled up in a fierce hug. "Ichigo, honey!" He played a very family characteristic smirk on his face as he hugged his mother.

_Mission Complete, until next time... playground. _

Emerald eyes met stark child like onyx eyes. "How was your day?" Sakura asked with a very motherly smile on her face.

That was all it took for him to slip back into his four-year old glee. "It was amazing! One of the bigger kids invited me and Kimi-chan to play in the sand box with him and he even shared his dango with us! -" Sakura 'mhmmed' and 'oh that's great'ed when she needed to, half way listening to her sons day as she put him in his booster seat in her car, securing his seat belt, and getting into her seat before starting the car and driving away from the school.

She couldn't believe he was already so old. It felt like just yesterday when she held her little red-headed, onyx eyed baby for the first time in the hospital. His fifth birthday would be coming in just a few short months and then he'd be starting kindergarten in the fall. He was always bright, smiley, and friendly so she had no doubt that he'd do great in his new school when he finally started. The only problem? His father.

"Mommy?" She dropped out of her reverie before turning into the gated community that was home to some of the biggest and best business professionals in the city. "Nothing but the best!" her husband always said.

"Yes sweetie?"

"When is Daddy coming home?" Suddenly her mood turned sour.

_I'd like to know that too. _

Sakura's lips went into a thin line. Ichigo's father was away fairly often on _very _important 'business' trips for the company. It would be weeks sometimes before she would catch word from him that he was alive and hadn't dropped off the face of the Earth. This time he had went to the Caribbean to secure a deal to branch out the company into the Caribbean islands where the company would, of course, benefit from the massive amounts of tourists.

Of course, Sakura couldn't tell her son that when his father stepped out on 'business' that he hardly ever set a date for when he'd come home and he hardly ever called. To Ichigo, his father was extremely _busy_ meeting with contacts when he was out on business and could only call his mother for an extremely short period of time to say he was okay.

So, what does a mother do when her innocent, young, impressionable, yet extremely bright son asks these particular questions? "Daddy said he'd try to be home by the end of the week!" she said with a smile. Well, a little white lie wouldn't hurt anyone.

"So that really means he's going to be gone for another month doesn't it?"

Sakura sighed. Oh how she cursed his smart little brain sometimes, looking at him in the rear view mirror as he pouted out the window, she couldn't help but feel sorry for her son - a son who so desperately wanted a father.

"Now, we don't know that Ichigo. Your father is trying to be home as soon as he can be, you know that he's very busy these days."

Ichigo sighed in defeat, feeling very down. It wasn't that he wanted his father around in particular. He loved his father, very much, don't get him wrong... but he wasn't blind. He saw the stress his mother went through all the time. She smiled at him, her smiles were always calm but to say they were happy would be a lie. He didn't want to lose his dad, of course, but losing his mother would be so much worse and he missed her happy kind of smiles.

Besides, her cooking was_ terrible _when she was distracted.

They pulled into the driveway to their rather large modern home.

Home sweet home... right?

* * *

"Sasuke, he asks about you _every damn day. _Come home and see your son!" She practically hissed.

It was way past midnight when he finally decided to call. Ichigo had been asleep for hours - bathed, fed, read to, and tucked in with a good night kiss and the door left open for a little bit of light. He had call to tell her that he had to extend his stay again. She gripped the phone so hard her knuckles turned white. Why couldn't her marriage just be easy for once?

He came back with some half-ass excuse, of course.

"No, this isn't about you, this isn't about me, this isn't about the fucking company. To hell with the company! This is about your only child, your flesh and blood. He is growing up with or without you and if you aren't careful, you'll show up too late and he won't even know who you are anymore." She was practically begging, pulling out all the cards.

"This company pays for the food on your table, Sakura."

"We have enough money in savings that even if we didn't sell the company we could live comfy for the rest of our lives! I'm so tired of this. You've been gone for two months," The other end was silent, "_two months,_ Sasuke!" She clarified, hoping that a repetition of words might make his sorry ass come home.

There wasn't even any wind coming into the phone. "Don't mute me you bastard! Whatever whore you are with can wait, this is ten times more important!" She said it, she'd finally put it on the table. He didn't know she knew, and of course she knew that too. You didn't become the wife of the CEO, owner, and original mind behind the biggest hotel and casino chain corporation on this side of the country without knowing a thing or two about getting behind the scenes and catching information without anyone even knowing you knew.

Sasuke clenched his palms.

The red-head to his left kissing down his neck, running her hands down his chest. He'd muted the phone because the girl - Keeri? Kara? Karmin? He couldn't remember - had started begging for him to come back to bed. Of course, being the _great_ husband he was, he had muted the phone so Sakura wouldn't get hurt but it seemed she already knew somehow. Somehow, this pissed him off.

"Don't talk to me like that." His words held a familiar threat. "You wouldn't want to be punished for a slip of the tongue, now would you?" He would ring true to his words, that she had experienced first hand.

"Shit, Sasuke, I wouldn't have a _slip of the tongue, _as you so kindly put it, if you'd just listen to me. I could care less what you do to me, but don't punish your son because you want a fucking booty call and don't think I'm good enough to bless your bed more than once. Ichigo doesn't deserve that! Come home!" she pleaded.

He didn't need this crap, he wouldn't put up with it. Hell, he didn't have to either.

"I'll be there when I get there. Consider yourself lucky I called, next time you may not even get that much." With an ivory finger he pressed on a button on his cell, ending the call.

He peered into the eyes of the girl he'd picked up on his way home as she puckered her sultry red lips, unbuttoning his way too expensive shirt, pushing her breasts as far into him as she could without getting in the way of her fingers' mission. "Come to bed, baby." She begged, trying to sound as cute yet sexy as she could. Her red hair was a mess from their earlier elevator activities, he noticed. She kissed down his collar-bone, leaving a trail of lipstick, as he felt a shiver run down his spine. With a mew of delight from his reaction, she reached her hand down his trousers to grip him fully, massaging his member in a way only someone with previous experience could do. Gods, it felt _good. _

Sasuke fully obliged to her earlier requests, ridding himself of his clothes and letting her take care of his urges. After that, she could do whatever she wanted to.

Sasuke Uchiha, CEO, Husband, Father, he went by many names.

But he personally liked to think of himself as "Sex God to Women", was that too conceited?

Hn, whatever, like he cared.

Grabbing a condom out of his wallet, he set to work his magic. Oh this would be a night whats-her-face (Was it Karina?) would never forget.

* * *

Is it hot in here? It was getting a little spicy with whatever-her-name-is and Sasuke! Had this idea in my head for such a long time now and it feels great to finally get it down and uploaded! Just to summarize the chapter Sakura and Sasuke are married and have a son named Ichigo who is four, almost five (He's in pre-school). Sasuke is a terrible husband who is the CEO of a company of his creation and provides very well for his wife and son but is hardly home and cheats on his wife.

Explanation: Ichigo has red hair, onyx eyes. Red hair comes from Sakura's genes - her father had red, her mother had blonde which is why her hair is pink. Sasuke's dark hair mixing with Sakura's pink makes Ichigo's hair red, at least by my definition!

So who do you think it was that Sasuke was smacking on in his hotel room? (This one should be easy!) What was Sasuke's empty threat about? Who's Kimi-chan and Will she be important? Is Sasuke Uchiha really a 'Sex God to women'? As a mother, is Sakura in the right to tell her 'white lie' to Ichigo? As a mother trying to think what's best for her son, is Sakura in the right for staying with Sasuke even though she knows of his infidelity? How would you handle your man/woman if you caught them cheating? What do you think will ultimately happen in the later chapters? If Sakura finds love, who will it be? On that same note, what pairings would you like to see come to life in _No Pain, No Gain_?

Sorry for all the questions but I totally can't wait to hear responses! This story isn't planned or set in stone so anything can change, so don't think your opinion/answers won't matter! I hope you guys don't think the chapter was too short but I didn't want to release too much information in the first chapter, just enough to set ya up and keep ya coming for more! Ahaha. Review to let me know what you think!

PS. If you read all of this, you're amazing and I give you props!

Ex's and Oh's,  
Sky's Rocket.


	2. Summer Festival

**No Pain, No Gain**

Chapter 2: Summer Festival

To the Story!

* * *

The hustle and bustle of the city wasn't normally Sakura's favorite thing but going deep into the city with her best friend after some hard days dealing with Sasuke, Sakura would welcome the distraction from her thoughts. Ino stood beside her, chatting away about the most recent news she'd heard about some new modeling agency, as her long blonde hair swayed with every step. Her hair was much longer than Sakura's own, Ino's came down to the dip of her back while Sakura's ended right at the end of her shoulders. Today was a girl's day, a much needed one, and together they had went shopping for some very welcome treats. They'd even gotten their hair and nails done. Sasuke may not have been the world's best husband but if she was stuck living with the man, with his bank account open to her, she'd use the money for whatever she damn well pleased.

"You know, now that I've gotten my figure back after having Kimiko I am seriously thinking about taking up modeling again. It really was so much fun!" Ino commented, with a bit of nostalgia in her tone thinking back to those good times.

Ino had been a model for three years, traveling the world. It was a very restricting career. Sakura grimaced, "How does Chōji feel about that?" She knew he wouldn't like it and she hated to burst her friend's bubble but she couldn't live in the past. Chōji and Kimiko were her present and her future, modeling was a thing of the past and she needed to keep looking forward.

"Oh…" Ino became quiet. Sakura could only guess that Ino hadn't told her counterpart about her ideas of returning to her old job so she shot her a look. "It's just that he's been so busy with the restaurants and trying to make sure everything is ready and stuff!" She defended.

"You know Namikaze-san asked Chōji if he would consider catering the entire Summer Festival this year. Not just one booth but the _entire _festival, forehead!"

Ahh, yes, the summer festival, how could Sakura forget? The Summer Festival was held by the Uchiha Company annually in, can't you tell, the summer months. Personally, she knew that Sasuke hated the festival and only attended and allowed the festival to be ran with the use of the company's name and insignia is because it attracted even more attention from the press. The company was all about tourism, the more the tourists knew about the company – the more they would want to stay at one of their 'famous' hotels. More people at the hotels meant more money for Sasuke. She almost couldn't contain her scowl at the almost wretched man she'd married and at her own feelings for him. But Sakura reined in her emotions, knowing it was time for her to be happy for her friend and to not dwell on her own personal problems!

"That's great Ino!" She said excitedly, not missing the twinkle in Ino's eyes as she looked deep in thought. "I thought Chōji was going to start another restaurant?" She asked as they stepped into a small quaint tea house that provided shade, yummy refreshments, and privacy from stalking press moguls.

Ino grinned, "Of course! Chōji loves his restaurants; I think he likes planning them and tasting the food more than he likes owning them!" The girls giggled together, thinking about the robust man. "We were thinking of doing an entire restaurant dedicated to low carb, low calorie eating for all those men and women out there who are tired of not having _good _food at a restaurant because all the tasty food is bad for you."

The two women stepped up to the counter gracefully, ordering a few cups of tea and some little cakes to munch on while they chatted before resuming their shopping. "Oh wow! That's a great idea! With how many people are in the metro area, I'm sure there would be tons of guests, losing weight is almost always appealing!" The waitress at the counter handed over their tea and cakes, Sakura paid since it was her turn (Ino paid last time) and went to a secluded area toward the back of the tea house.

"Oh! Speaking of appealing - actually this is kind of off topic – but we got Kimiko into the Umino Private School of Learning! She's so excited to be starting in the fall!" Ino said, with the biggest smile plastered on her face, and Sakura couldn't help but smiling along with her.

"Has Ichigo gotten his acceptance letter yet?" Sakura let her smile drop, somehow she knew that Ino would ask the dreaded question and she knew the conversation that would follow. Seeing Sakura no longer smiling, Ino sneered. "What does Sasuke think he's doing!? Keeping his son away from an amazing school like this? It's the best private school in the city not to mention one of the top in the entire state. He's so fucking dense!" She hissed, attempting to keep her voice low so people wouldn't be able to hear them.

"Sasuke thinks Ichigo should be taught at home with a _private _instructor." She relayed to her friend, recalling the very short conversation with her husband. Seeing Ino move to make a comment back, Sakura interrupted. "There was no room for argument, Ino. You know that! He thinks he's doing the right thing."

Ino scoffed, "Of course, keeping the boy locked up in that dreadful mansion with no one to interact with that is his own age is _really _the right thing to do."

"Look, the way Sasuke sees it is Ichigo will learn correct and proper language being around people who only speak correct and proper language. He believes being around children his own age will allow him to catch on to any 'ill mannerisms' that they may have."

"Ill Mannerisms? – What the? – I can't even – Oh my god. He's so fucking stupid! Like I can't even get the right words out to say how freaking dumb his logic is. He thinks those kids are dumb and that it's contagious?" Ino spluttered incredulously.

Sakura sighed, trying to explain it to Ino was like trying to open a coconut with a piece of string but a part of her couldn't help but agree. "Ichigo is Sasuke's _only _son and therefore is Sasuke's heir to the entire Uchiha Company, he's grooming him to become another him! Sakura you need to let Sasuke go. He's ruining your life and before long he will be ruining Ichigo's life too!"

"You know why I can't leave Ino, it's not that simple!"

"Of course it's not that simple Sakura, it's not simple enough to pack some clothes, grab Ichigo, and get the fuck away from him." Ino exclaimed sarcastically. Sakura rolled her eyes at her dramatic friend before thinking back to the days before the Uchiha Company was even a thought.

"He hasn't always been like this... He used to care for me and love me, Ino. I just - I can't leave him. I know the man I fell in love with is still somewhere buried deep inside." Her pink lashes graced her cheeks as she closed her eyes, willing the tears threatening to fall to stay in place. Ino reached across the table and grabbed Sakura's ivory colored hands in her own. The mood had changed so suddenly.

"I know – I know you still love him. I know you want him to be the man he used to be but sweetie, he's too far gone…" She gulped, finding her next words hard to think about and even harder to say. "And if you don't catch yourself and get out while you can… _you _will be too far gone." Sasuke was destroying Sakura in the only way he could, breaking her will and her hope. She lived for Ichigo, she protected his hope, his beliefs in the tooth fairy and santa, she allowed him to be the kid he so needed to be. But by breaking Sakura, he was going to break Ichigo too.

Somewhere, in the back of Sakura's mind, she knew Ino was right.

* * *

"Ahh, Teme, Sasuke, Sulky-uke, my main man, my confidant, my best friend, my – " Sasuke turned around roughly in his chair at his desk before giving Naruto a dealthy stare. "Say one more word and you'll be out the door, dobe."

Naruto grinned before plopping himself down sideways in one of the chairs in front of Sasuke's desk. "How are you, buddy bud ole man?" Before he bit into a juicy green apple he had carried into the room with him.

"Hn"

Naruto scoffed, "Well, I should have expected that one." He ran a hand through his long-ish blonde locks, absent-mindedly wondering how long it'd been since he had a hair cut. Turning his blue eyes, he saw Sasuke's awaiting expression.

Naruto cleared his throat. "Anyway, teme, Miya-chan quit today." Sasuke gave him a look of indifference, if that was all Naruto had to say he could leave. He didn't even know who this _Miya-chan _was and his look to Naruto clearly said that.

"Aww, come on teme! Pretty face, nice smile, huge blue eyes kind of like mine… with brown hair? Ring a bell? Your _secretary? _Oh you know - the person who basically, besides me, does everything for your lazy ass?" He could see Sasuke still held no recognition, or maybe that was just his normal face. "Yeesh, Sasuke, you really need to pay more attention."

"What is so important that you needed to come into my office for, Naruto?"

"Besides that fact that you'll be getting a new secretary soon, I was wondering if you had any plans or thoughts on the Summer Festival?"

Sasuke sneered, he hated festivals. "That's your thing. Do what you want with it. Just make sure it runs smoothly and there's plenty of reporters, or it's your job on the line." He probably wouldn't fire Naruto if he messed up, it would just give him an excuse to not have to deal with the festival anymore or with Naruto's constant bothering about this and that when it came to the annual extravaganza.

"Oh goody!" Naruto said sarcastically but he did love the festival. The lights, the music, the games, the girls, and Oh the food! He always made sure Choji-san had at least one booth in the festival, his ramen was to die for! This year, he was going to let the man cater the entire festival - he wanted to do a little something different this year with it and thought Choji would be the perfect helping hand. Looking down in to his lap, he realized he still had some more stuff for Sasuke to know about before he got out of his hair.

"Don't forget that you've got that meeting today at 3 with the Junto Casino Representative to discuss that shit you needed to discuss." Naruto reminded.

Sasuke scoffed. Naruto was his assistant in command, he did all of the 'people' oriented things of the Uchiha company, like taking care of the employees, setting up charity events, etc. but he was definitely _not _a business person and he didn't particularly care about sitting in meetings with Sasuke while they talked about business jargon that Naruto had no clue about.

"We're discussing a partnership to set up a casino together, Naruto. Not just 'shit' as you so rudely put it, learn manners." He bantered.

Now to anyone else, Sasuke would seem like a total asshole and most of the time Naruto told him such. But the two had been friends since his senior year in college and Naruto was used to his nonchalant, dickish attitude that rendered him incapable of being nice to just about anyone. So, he wasn't very easily offended by Sasuke's uncalled for remarks about his 'manners' and such.

"I've got manners, yo! You're just not important enough to be graced them, teme!" He said, baiting Sasuke. It was their typical conversation, teasing each other. They were best friends and it was just how they acted.

"Don't say yo. It is very unbecoming for someone of your status."

"Biiiiiitch" Naruto drawled out, acting like a ghetto girl from a tv show he'd seen, waving his finger around, "I'll do whatever I want to!"

Sasuke growled, having enough of his shenanigans so he went back to his paperwork.

Naruto saw that Sasuke didn't want to joke, so he cut to the chase. "You've also got a charity event tonight at 8." Sasuke didn't look up from his work. "Maybe you should bring the wife and kid." Sasuke stiffened. Bring up Sakura and Ichigo and he was a totally different man almost. Of course, a normal person couldn't tell but Naruto could. Afterall he was the all knowing and amazing Naruto, he thought with a grin he covered up masterfully.

"I'm not going."

He threw his hands up in defeat with a loud groan. "Look Captain Ice-Cube, it's for public appearances. The public likes the be reminded that you have a family."

"My wife and son will not be on the premises. They will remain in my home and I will have it no other way." Sasuke threatened. Sasuke hated charity events almost as much as he hated festivals and he would not have Sakura or Ichigo in either of these places with him. Ichigo was a maybe but the boy was hard to separate from his mother and Sakura would _not _be going and especially _not _with him.

Before Naruto could retort, the temporary secretary came into the room. She was faceless and nameless to Sasuke and whatever she had to say, he probably wouldn't care.

"Uchiha-sama. Fugaku-sama is on line one for you." She said quietly and sweetly.

Oh yes, his father. The man who had paid for his college, funded the start of the Uchiha Corporation (even though it was all Sasuke's ideas), and would never let him live it down – even if he had already paid back all of his debt to the man. Fugaku Uchiha was a man who always wanted more. More money, more time with his sons, more time with his mistresses, more grandkids. Sasuke shivered, the last was a definite no.

"Will you be taking the call, Uchiha-sama?"

"No, I will not. Tell him I'm in a meeting." And the temporary secretary left with a click of the door.

The room was silent. At least until Naruto opened his mouth.

"Saskue, I know you hate the guy and hold like a shit ton of resentment for him, and I'm not saying he's that great of a man, but you really should talk to him. Uchiha Corps has been running great for the past eight years; you haven't spoken to him in four of those. Don't you think it's time to let it all be water under the bridge?"

It was true. His father had loaned him the money to start the corporaton, Sasuke paid it back four years after the corporation got onto its feet and had enough money to spare. Sasuke had then stopped all communication with his father. He had wanted nothing more to do with the man once he had learned of his infidelity to his dear, sweet mother. That was four years ago, a little while after Ichigo had been born. Sasuke refused to answer Naruto's questions.

"Come on, Sasuke, you really really should talk to him. I mean – "

"Naruto, just butt out of it. It's none of your damn business!" Sasuke growled, gripping the pen in his hand so hard he was sure it could break with any more pressure. Naruto held up his hands in defeat before grabbing his apple core, tossing it in the trash, and leaving Sasuke alone to his thoughts.

* * *

Sasuke jiggled his keys around in the lock of his front door before hearing the click signifying it was unlocked. He pushed the door open, realizing only the lights in the entry way to the house were on. He assumed Sakura and Ichigo were already asleep by the silence that greeted him.

Setting his keys and his briefcase on the table to his left, he took of his suit jacket and his shoes before continuing into the house and making sure the door was locked.

He had indeed attended the charity event, despite not having wanted to. He had stood in the corner all night alone except for when he gave a speech, went to get a beer, and when girls would try to talk to him. He scoffed, correct that, when girls tried to _throw _themselves at him. He hated that. Now when he was drunk, on a business trip, and far away from anything that was familiar, he didn't mind the women throwing themselves at him, hell he'd even taken a few to his bed. He carefully tried to hide his women from Sakura but his conversation with her when he was with that red headed chick in the Caribbean came into his mind.

She knew about his infidelity.

For some reason, he wondered why she stayed with him through out all the pain he put her through. But of course, he knew if she tried to left he would do anything to make her stay.

He didn't love her. Hell, he hardly even cared about the woman. But she was _his _and that meant that _he controlled her. _He thought back to when they had been happy, before the company and before marriage. Before Ichigo.

Ichigo had been his worst and his best mistake. Most caring fathers wouldn't dare say that about their children, but he was not a caring father… He was a realist.

Sasuke walked up the stairs and entered the bedroom, seeing Sakura's small form facing away from the door, breathing slowly signifying that she was indeed asleep as he had first guessed. He stripped himself of all his clothes before going into the bathroom, turning on the shower, and slipping in underneath the wonderful feel of the steamy water, washing away the dirt and the grime of his hard day at work. He briefly wondered what a day off felt like before his thoughts drifted to Ichigo once more.

Ichigo had been created on a night when they had been drunk out of their minds celebrating their new degrees at a frat party before they would leave the college. Due to a program that allowed them to dual enroll in the college when they were in highschool, they both managed to finish two years earlier than they would have. They had slept together that night. She had been so in love with him and she was the first girl to look at him and see him as _Sasuke Uchiha, _the person, not the younger brother of Itachi Uchiha, not the son of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha, but just _Sasuke. _He had loved it, relished in her touches and her kisses. He had thought of marriage with Sakura, had considered proposing but in the end he knew he didn't love her and being the caring young boy he had been, had decided to break things off with her before she started thinking about marriage.

Then she got pregnant and his father found out. His father demanded Sasuke take her hand in marriage because he refused to have a grandchild borne of wedlock. It was then that everything went downhill.

Ichigo ruined his personal life. He supposed he held a grudge against the child somewhat. But now he didn't have to worry about finding someone to produce him an heir to the Uchiha fortune because Ichigo was his heir and with the way Sasuke would raise him, he'd be the best thing to happen to the Uchiha Corporation next to Sasuke himself.

Stepping out of the shower, towel drying himself before slipping into a pair of boxers he made his way back into the bedroom. He took in Sakura's form once more, her pink hair, the steady rise and fall of her body, the dips and curves of her hips. She was exotic, a good lay he had deduced. She carried his child well, slipped into the role of mother fantastically and well, that was about all the good qualities to her. Of course, she was intelligent but she had no job and he would not allow her to have one.

He took full credit for the status in society that she had. After all, if it wasn't for him, Sakura Uchiha would be absolutely _nothing. _He slipped into bed with her, wrapping his arm loosely around her waist. Oh how long it had been since he'd felt her delicious curves against his body, against the feel of his hands. He reached up; grabbing a breast and feeling her nipple harden beneath his touch. He felt his erection becoming harder and harder, pressing against her firm bottom; he almost thought of waking her up to satisfy his needs but he was tired. She would satisfy him later, he decided, after all that was almost all she was good for. He rolled over, pulled the covers up to his shoulders and, in mere moments, drifted off into slumber.

Sakura shivered, a lone tear slipping down the bridge of her nose. She felt disgusted by his touch, his hands gripping her. Even though he had showered, he had only showered for a few minutes at most enough to hop in and hop out. She had still smelled the perfume and booze clinging to his body. She could only assume he'd been drinking around other women, probably cheating on her. Yet he would come home to her, still unsatisfied, and she could only be glad that he was tired and wasn't going to force her to satisfy him.

Because if Sasuke wasn't satisfied, well... let's not go there.

Another shiver went up Sakura's spine before she gripped the covers closer to herself, falling into a fitful sleep full of hopeful wishes for a better time.

She would never suspect that her life, as she knew it, was over.

* * *

Ohayo guys! Chapter 2, huh? I'm super excited for this story. I've already got the next chapter planned (It's gonna be like double the size of this one) and it's super important to the overall plot. I know there isn't very much suspense and this chapter was a bit of a filler but I'm hoping you'll forgive me when you read the next chapter comes out! Also, I only got one review for the last chapter but that's okay, thanks so much **Katey123! **I love hearing your thoughts so please don't be afraid to review and tell me what you think. This story has a definite plot outline but there are still tons of details that I'm just adding as I go so this is a very interactive story and I'd love to have you guys input in it.

Alright, as for pairings and this _is _a romance story and _is not _a SasSaku story, even though they do start off married. I'm thinking about some crack pairings but I'd definitely like some thoughts from the readers. So far I've considered Shikamaru, Neji, and Deidara. Naruto, Itachi, Kiba, and Sasuke are for sure no-go's and obviously Choji as well as they are either incompatible pairings for this story or they are already paired. So let me know whatcha think! Finding out who I want Sakura to be paired with is imperative before I publish/finish writing the next chapter.

Things to think about - Where's Itachi? How is Sakura's life, as she knows it, over? How will the summer festival go? Will Ichigo get into private school or will he be trained at a young age to be everything Sasuke wants him to be? How will Sakura meet her mystery man later down the line? And how does Ichigo feel about being trapped in between his parents? What is best for Ichigo - a father who will never love him or his mother, or a broken but happy family consisting of him and his mother? And how will Sakura finally get the courage to leave Sasuke?

Until next time, dear readers!

Ex's and Oh's,  
Sky's Rocket.


	3. Cups of Coffee

**No Pain, No Gain**

Chapter 3: Cups of Coffee

To the Story!

* * *

Black.

Deep brewed, filled into his nine ounce mug which was also black.

Cream, sugar? He could do without, he wasn't into sweets.

Double shot of espresso? He couldn't do without.

That was how he liked his coffee. It was simple, like him. A simple guy, a simple cup of coffee, and his day was made. He stepped out of the fifty-sixth floor's break room (the executive break room) where he headed into his office. His hair was neatly brushed, even if the back of it looked unkempt, his face was newly shaven. The shirt he wore was a deep crimson, with a pair of comfy khakis and a black and cream-colored tie. He felt bright and, dare he even think it, bubbly today. What had put him in such a good mood? Well, maybe it was the coffee.

He stalked toward his luxurious office... some employees would say even the door was luxurious, all he could see was a door but what did he care. He gripped the gold handle on said door, swinging it open and clicking it shut softly before exhaling a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

Silence, he always loved the silence. The sweet, sweet sound of his own heart beating in his chest, of the sounds of his pen scratching against his paper, and his own breathing were the only sounds that he welcomed. Hell, he even liked the swallowing sound when he drunk his coffee.

Oh, sweet, sweet silen-

"Oh Sasuke!" Naruto sang as he slammed open the door, holding a box of donuts followed by a red-headed girl who looked quite familiar then he promptly kicked his door shut.

Sasuke grumbled. There went his silence... and his good day. How inconvenient.

"Oh buddy, ol pal! How ya doing?"

"Do you really find it necessary to do this everyday?"

"Ero-sennin says its good for relationship building! But maybe that's because he..." Naruto trailed off, in thought before shaking his head looking rather disgusted. "Nevermind, anyway, I'm being rude!" He said before pushing the red-head toward Sasuke's desk. "Meet Karin Imaru, your new secretary!"

"What happened to the old one?" He said monotone, not that he really cared but there was something oddly familiar about this girl and he wasn't sure he wanted her around.

"She had to leave, remember? Family uprooted and moved to Cuba or some shit... anyway, Karin's your new secretary so play nice!" Naruto winked, wagging his finger playfullly as if scolding a young child.

Sasuke couldn't help but feel Naruto's actions as annoying, but that's how he felt about most of his actions. He couldn't understand what in seven hells he had drunk the night he had said yes to allowing Naruto to be his assistant at Uchiha Corps.

Then he noticed the Karin girl blush, of course she would have a crush on him!

Oh how easy it was for his day to go from good, to bad, to worse in the time it took Naruto to walk in his office.

Somehow, in his thoughts, Naruto managed to escape the room quickly leaving him alone in the room with this girl.

That shy girl who blushed a few minutes ago? Now she was locking his door, while she was on the inside of his office. What the hell?

She sauntered over to his desk, swaying her hips as she walked over to him. He couldn't help but notice the delicious curves of her body, only accentuated by the tight black dress she wore with the matching pumps adorning her creamy white feet.

Karin stopped in front of him before hiking up her dress and plopping down in his lap, hooking her arms behind his neck and giggling at the almost surprised look on his face. The nerve of this woman!

"Sasuke-kun! I've missed you _soo _much!" She exaggerated as she nuzzled her nose into the side of his neck. He was still, too still. His arms were resting on the arms of his desk chair, not wrapped around her as they had been that night in the Caribbean. What was wrong with him? She pulled back and pecked him on the lips, which he also had not returned. "I can't wait to have another night like we did in the Caribbean! When Uzumaki-san decided to start interviewing for the job, I knew I had to come straight away that way we could have a repeat right here in your office." She giggled, before running her hands all up and down his chest.

That was it!

That was where he knew her from?

His thoughts went back to the Caribbean trip he had went on a month and a half ago, where he bedded several women. Karin was the red-headed girl at the luncheon he had attended, he remembered how she doted on him and fluttered her long fake eyelashes. He had seen her multiple times that day and others day after the luncheon, he had offered to escort her back to her room and instead they had returned to his. She had been someone of mild importance... who had she been related to again?

Takari Imaru was his name. He was her uncle who officially adopted her and decided she needed to learn first hand about the business she would possibly inherit (since Takari had zero biological children of his own), a business which he just so happened to be extremely interested in. From what he had gathered, the girl hated business, hated work, and absolutely hated the thought of running a company. She was hard-headed, brash, flirty, and a money eater. His eyes narrowed - so why the hell was she here?

Sasuke pushed her off of him roughly, she landed with a huff and a mild cry of surprise, as he stood up and walked to the door. He gripped the handle, after unlocking it and turned to her realizing he was being a _bit _rude but only a bit. "It is best not to dwell on the past, Imaru-san. That night will not happen twice, not in the Caribbean and certainly not in my office. See yourself out." And he left.

Karin gripped her dress tightly in her fists before letting out a muffled scream into her knees. She was gorgeous, wasn't she? He had slept with her once, she was sure it was him! Of course, she had been drunk that night but she was absolutely sure that he was making _love _to her not just fucking her! 'He must be covering himself, not wanting anyone outside to hear...' She thought, 'Yes, that's _got _to be it.'

She was of the Imaru family, owners of the South Port Trading Company, she was gorgeous and had beautiful red hair. Her boobs were great, her ass was amazing, of _course _he loved her. How could he not? She scoffed, before dusting her self off and seeing her way out of the office. As she went to turn the corner, she heard Sasuke's name roll off of an employee's tongue.

Did they hear anything? Maybe they had walked by when she was talking to Sasuke. She wouldn't want his reputation to go down the drain.

She crouched down a bit, and began to eavesdrop.

Naruto stood, before a brown headed man, holding a cup of ramen in his hand and having came from the break room. She quickly deduced that the two were discussing the summer festival.

"Hai, that sounds like a very good idea Naruto-sama! Should I save a spot for Mrs. Uchiha and young Ichigo?"

_'Mrs. Uchiha?! What the fuck!' _Karin mentally hissed before calming herself... maybe that was just his mom. Yeah, it had to be.

"Sakura's not coming and neither is Ichigo. Sasuke wants to keep his personal life at home and his work life here."

"But Sakura-sama is so pretty, surely he would wish to show her off some! Sasuke-sama should really reconsider bringing his wife, she is highly popular with the crowd as well..." The rest of what the man had said fell on deaf ears as Karin ball-ed her perfectly manicured hands into fists, absolutely outraged.

Not only had this man slept with her and then denied her, he had a wife to come home to as well? And a son? Hell no.

Now most women, at this point, would have taken this as a sign to back the fuck off, correct? Oh no, not _sweet little ol _Karin. Being the nice person that she was, she was going to save this 'Sakura-sama' from her husband in the only way Karin was truly skilled... by stealing him away from her.

Karin grinned before unclenching her fists and smoothing out her skirt, rounding the corner, and heading straight toward her desk. She had some _research _to do.

* * *

"What's next, Sarg?" Sakura asked, turning to Ichigo where he sat in their shopping cart holding a pink slip of paper in his small hands.

"Tomatoes! Mmm, tomatoes!" Ichigo rubbed his stomach, grinning at his mother's bewildered expression, like father like son. Some things were just inherited, she supposed.

"Aye Aye Cap'n!" Sakura saluted before pushing the shopping cart toward the vegetables section. Today was their bi-weekly shopping trip. Between Sakura, Ichigo, Sasuke (when he was around), the house maid (who Sakura refused to let eat anything except healthy foods), and her other various friends and their children – food went extremely fast so Ichigo and Sakura made trips every two weeks to stock up.

As Sakura put the tomatoes in the cart, Ichigo turned toward her with an expressionless face and said "Good Job Solider!" Before putting his fist out and saying "To the Cereal!" Sakura couldn't help but giggle at her son. He was truly a remarkable young child.

"Sakura?"

It took her a second to realize some one had said her name, but Who? Sakura whipped around, followed by a confused Ichigo.

A somewhat tanned male with black hair stood a few feet behind her with a small basket in his right hand filled with ramen cups. "I knew it was you!" He said cheerfully.

Sakura couldn't help herself and ran up to the mysterious man before hugging him tightly. "Sai-kun! How have you been?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, "I've been great! I finally got a girlfriend. Her name is Keade, she's wonderful." Sakura smiled at hearing that. She'd worried Sai would never settle down after his fiasco a few years ago but she loved the boy to death.

"That's so good! Here, I have someone I'd like you to finally meet!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the shopping cart. "Sai, meet Ichigo." Sai smiled. Ichigo didn't like men he didn't know around his mother. That was a spot only his papa could fill and he didn't know who this man was but Ichigo refused to let him be a replacement for Sasuke.

"Ichigo, meet Uncle Sai. He's momma's cousin!" Sakura said gingerly to her son, who had turned from the happy-go-lucky 'Captain' to a pouty little boy who had his arms crossed.

At the mention of Sai being related, Ichigo immediately perked up before grinning and holding his hand out like he'd seen his father do. Sai chuckled before grabbing and shaking the tiny appendage.

"Now that those pleasantries are out of the way, why don't you come join us for dinner? I'm sure Ichigo would love to spend some time with you. He loves meeting new people, isn't that right Ichigo?" Said boy nodded enthusiastically. He was hoping Uncle Sai would be like Uncle Naruto and help him prank his mother who somehow had eyes in the back of her head.

"Sure! Why not, it's not every day you meet back up with your favorite cousin!" He said, grabbing her into a headlock and giving her the biggest noogie she'd ever had.

* * *

Sai walked down the stairs from Ichigo's room. When he walked into the living room, he saw Sakura with her pink hair tied into a bun lounging in a pair of sweats curled on the couch watching TV. He'd always thought Sakura was the prettiest female in his family and, of course, he would never tell her that. He also didn't believe Sasuke deserved her, he knew from the bags under her eyes that she wasn't sleeping well.

He leaned against the wall observing her sipping her coffee, as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. She was an amazing woman – a fantastic mother, intellectual, optimistic, friendly, gorgeous, and extremely well balanced culturally. Sasuke was rude, cold, silent, and a loner who was blessed with good looks that he didn't deserve. Sai supposed that he was thankful of Sasuke... in a way... Ichigo wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him. Granted, he'd only just met his nephew/cousin but the boy was already making a place of his own in Sai's heart. They'd spent the day trying to prank Sakura before she booted them both out of the house where they went on a scavenger hunt to find legendary ninjas. Of course, they decided Sakura was the ultimate ninja because she obviously had eyes in the back of her head. After dinner and a bath, Ichigo asked Sai to tuck him into bed which allowed Sakura enough time to shower and settle onto the couch.

Sai clenched his fists as he, once again, thought about the bags under her eyes, the stress lines that were clear on her otherwise young-looking face. She looked aged beyond her years and like she hadn't a decent sleep in weeks.

Somewhere inside Sai knew it was Sasuke's fault. He moved to finally plop on the couch next to her.

Sakura had always trusted Sai, he was her confidant. When the boys at school bullied her because of her forehead, he had always beaten them up. When her first boyfriend broke up with her, he had been the one to console her. He was the older brother she had never had. They had lost touch when she got into college. She had went to NYU, he had went overseas to a school in Japan to major in Communications with a minor in Japanese. They had emailed a few times but with school, work, and distance in the way they had ended up losing almost all contact and it was by chance that they met in the market today.

He looked at her with his deep onyx eyes, filled with emotion – the most prevalent being worry. He was worried about her, she knew.

"Tell me." The words were simple. She wanted to tell him, she really did. She wanted to tell him about all those nights, all the hospital rooms, all the lies she told. She wanted to tell him about Sasuke and his 'business' trips. She wanted to tell him about the booze and perfume she would always smell on Sasuke's clothes. She wanted to tell him about how Sasuke was trying to force the company on Ichigo when her poor son was barely five years old. Oh Sakura wanted to tell him many things.

But she couldn't.

She shook her head.

Sai scooted over to her and wrapped her in a fierce hug. She inhaled his masculine scent which seemed to never have changed, it was just so him. A mix of cedar and sunlight. He was so familiar and he was the closest thing to _home _and to any life she had ever had that was close to _normal _and it made it hurt so much more.

Her dam was breaking.

Her walls were crumbling down.

Tears streamed down her face as she let out a sob she hadn't know she'd been holding and she cried. She cried for the nights she spent alone. She cried for the tears of her son. She cried for the childhood she didn't want Ichigo to miss out on. She cried for the shattered dreams of a future she could no longer grasp.

And so she kept crying.

Because for some reason, the more she cried...the more she realized how many reasons she had to do so.

Sai let her cry. He hugged her and rubbed her back; he let her sob into his shirt. He murmured words of comfort in her ear as he smoothed out her hair. He didn't know why she wouldn't tell him but he wouldn't push it. He didn't know the reasons why she needed to cry, only that she needed to. He didn't know why she kept it bottled in. And he didn't know why, now that he was here, she was finally letting her tears out. But he let her.

Because out of all the things Sai didn't know, the one thing he _did _was the right then Sakura _needed _him. It didn't matter all the reasons why and he didn't need answers.

* * *

Sasuke jiggled his keys into the lock on his door, struggling between his coffee mug, his briefcase, and the handle. What the hell was up with this lock? He had stood here for like three minutes trying to get this lock open. He quickly decided that he was going to get someone to fix it the next afternoon. He pushed on the door before it finally gave and came open.

Once inside, he put his keys and his coat on the entry way before setting down his briefcase and kicking off his shoes. Quickly he walked to the kitchen and put his mug in the sink, Sakura could wash it later.

Then he noticed the TV was still on. Onyx eyes glanced to the digital clock on the wall – 3:47 A.M. He was late getting home, like most nights, but things at the office had kept him. Sakura was normally asleep in her bed by one at the latest. He rarely got home to see her awake, which was the plan. If she was asleep then there would be no confrontations, no "why are you so late" questions, no "why do you smell like other women" conversations. When she was asleep, she was out to the world... or so he thought.

He figured she probably fell asleep on the couch so he moved to the living room. As he crossed the threshold he realized Sakura was not the only person on the couch. She was curled up on one arm of the couch with her feet in another man's lap. How dare she? Sleeping on _his _couch with another man! His fists clenched and unclenched, he could feel the anger under his skin, the adrenaline rushing through his veins. Before he knew it, he was across the room lifting the man up by his collar and punching him square in the face.

Sai woke up to the most unpleasant sight he'd ever thought he'd see. His face was in excruciating pain and it was almost impossible to defend himself against his attacker. Sai struggled to free himself punch after punch, he heard Sakura's screams of "Sasuke".

So that was who this was.

The infamous man who never came home to his wife.

Sakura covered her mouth, muffling her screams. It was only by luck that Ichigo was upstairs, asleep, and would not be able to hear them. The house had been designed like that. Tears were streaming down her face as she jumped, pulling on Sasuke's arms trying to get him to stop the assault. She could see Sai's nose, the blood running down his face. What had Sai done? He didn't deserve this!

"Sasuke!" She yelled, maybe she could get through to him, "Sasuke, please stop!" Her tears were coming harder now, Sasuke didn't stop. Would he kill Sai? "P-PLEASE!" Her voice cracked. Something in Sasuke hesitated, a little something, Sakura had seen it. But it was enough. It was enough to bring him back from the depths of his evil mind.

Before Sai knew it, he was being shoved out the door.

Sasuke slammed the door in the man's face and locked it. Sakura went to say something but Sasuke turned, slammed his hand against her mouth. "Shut the fuck up, Sakura." He told her, leaving no room for questions.

Sai was standing by the door, listening intently for any signs that the assault Sasuke delivered to him was continuing except on Sakura instead. He refused to leave until he could be sure that Sakura was okay.

The entire area was quiet. Sakura dared not to utter a word.

Sai dared not to move.

Sasuke dared them to even try.

After a few moments of utter silence, Sasuke peeped out the hole in the door and saw Sai had left. Which he, indeed, had.

Once he realized that no sounds were being heard (particularly screams from Sakura) Sai turned and headed home. Sasuke waited a few more moments, trying to make sure the man was out of his yard and away from his home in all aspects. Once he was sure, he removed his hand from Sakura's mouth and turned to look at her.

She was shorter than he was, her eyes were level with his collar-bone and she had to look up at him to meet his gaze.

That terrifying gaze.

Onyx eyes bored into emerald.

He could see the emotions in her eyes. Once upon a time, he would have cared. Once upon a time, he would have held her and let her cry into him. Once upon a time, if he acted without thinking, he would have apologized. But this was not once upon a time and he was not the same person.

"You think you can allow another man to walk into this house with out my permission?"

Sakura froze. She was hoping, ever so hoping he would just walk away. She was hoping that maybe his anger would have faded after the episode before.

Sakura shook her head. "He's not just another guy, Sasuke-kun." Her voice cracked. She was under pressure. Sasuke took a step forward, his eyes never leaving hers. She wanted to look away, she wanted to cower under his gaze but she didn't.

"Not just another man? You're saying he had no dick between his legs. Your saying that if given the chance he would not have had sex with you, in _my _house, on _my couch... _or _my _bed." If Sasuke had been a bull, Sakura was sure she could have seen the steam coming from his nose. She couldn't feel but utterly disgusted with his words, Sai would never do that, he was her cousin... her big brother figure... her confidant.

"No, No –" She went to say, but he interrupted her.

A sharp slap resounded through the room, a slap hard enough to echo, to make her head spin to the side.

"I know I am right, Sa-Ku-Ra."

She could taste the blood in her mouth.

"I know you know of my affairs. Is this your way of getting back at me, of taking your revenge? With our son in the house no less?" He pulled her hair, making her head go all the way back with her eyes on the ceiling. She whimpered. This was so wrong.

"What a terrible..._terrible _mother you are, Sakura-chan." He put his hand up to her throat. No, this was wrong. She was not a bad mother. He was a terrible father. She did not cheat, he did. She didn't get revenge on people, that was Sasuke.

He put his lips next to her ear. To anyone else, it could have seem like a caress if his hand wasn't squeezing her neck harder and harder as the seconds ticked... if she didn't feel like her was ripping the hair out of her head... if she didn't taste the blood from biting on her cheeks to keep from screaming.

"I think you need to be taught a lesson, ne?" He pushed her to the ground, her face hitting the marble floor. She swore she could hear a crack but maybe it was his knuckles before he pounced on her, his knee slamming into her back. He grabbed her hair again before flipping her over. She tried to crawl away, her nails screeching against the floor.

He sat on her before punching her in the face. He slapped her. Once... twice... three times.

She felt her eye bruising.

He choked her.

She could feel her world turning black.

She opened her mouth to scream but she wasn't sure if sound ever came out.

He banged her head against the floor.

Then he picked her up and threw her against the vanity in the entry way, her back crashed against the mirror hanging above it. She fell to the ground with a sickening thud. She could feel the glass cutting through her skin but felt no pain.

At that moment, she could only thank the gods that Ichigo was upstairs asleep.

Little Blessings.

He gripped her hair and stepped on her hand. She swore she could feel bones breaking under his weight. He leaned down to her ear once more. "Where is the Sakura who could fight back?" He breathed her in, the smell of her fear, tears, sweat, and her blood. The aroma was sickening but he didn't care, to him it was like an expensive perfume. He chuckled, a deep maddening chuckle. "Clean this mess up before I come home" He grabbed his keys and pulled his shoes on before opening the door. "-or else."

Sakura's world went dark.

* * *

Yomurei Kato was sixty years old. She was your average maid. Her silver wisps of hair were always kept and in a bun atop her head. She never wore makeup and her wrinkles were little to none despite her age. Her body didn't have the aches and groans most elder women had but she could assume it was because of the great care she took of herself.

She had seen many things in her years. She was the best in the Kaito Cleaning Service – a cleaning service that offered a variety of options. She offered them all – cleaning, cooking, baby-sitting, dog training. Yomueri was the best of the best which was why she had been to so many 'celebrity' houses. Her latest job? The Uchiha Manor.

Yom had lived in the manor since Sakura-sama hired her in late June a few years ago. The house was large and Sakura was a newly wed who had never been entrusted an entire house to clean or three meals to cook a day. Yom helped her and showed her the ways. She became one of Sakura's most trusted people as Yom did with most of her employers. She was just one of those people.

However, to Yom, Sakura was special. Yom knew of the troubles and tribulations Sakura had seen in her few years because Yom had seen them all. She was in the house while Sakura was pregnant, she was in the house when Sakura first brought home Young Master Ichigo, she was in the house the first time Sakura found out about her _husband's (_Yom thought with Rage) infidelity. Yom was also in the house the first time Sasuke beat her. She was the one who cleaned her up. She was the one who kept Sakura's friends away from the house so she could heal – she knew Sakura-sama wouldn't want anyone to know about her affairs. Yom was the one who took care of Ichigo in his mother's stead.

Yom was not a stupid woman. She had seen many things. She knew many things. That was why, when she walked into the house a few hours after Sasuke had left that something terrible had happened. He had beaten her worse than any of her other beatings. It was at this time that Yom was grateful that Master Ichigo stayed asleep until nine most days. It was only five in the morning.

Yom knew, from conversations she'd over heard, that Sasuke was going on a trip today to Japan and would not be back for several weeks. It was for this reason that she was also grateful. Little Blessings.

Slowly Yom grabbed Sakura and helped her stand, she was only half conscious. They worked their way to the couch where Yom helped Sakura lay down before going back to the entry way. Glass and blood was all over the floor – she knew the blood would only belong to one person. While hurriedly cleaning the entry way, Yom thought over her plans.

She knew that Sakura thought she couldn't escape Sasuke.

Yom knew that she could, she just needed a push in the right direction. She was tired of seeing Sakura hurt – physically and mentally.

She went into the master bedroom and grabbed a pair of clothes for Sakura before going back into the living room where said girl slept on the couch. Yom surveyed the damage.

Big purple bruises were all over her body, welts appeared on her neck and her wrists. Her left hand was swollen and purple, her hair was disheveled and small pieces of glass were stuck in her arms, leaving small trails of blood. Her normally bright pink hair looked dark, dirty, and greasy.

Yom helped Sakura to a spare bathroom where the girl was still only half conscious. She helped Sakura undress before sitting her in the warm bath water. This wasn't anything new for the maid. She had seen enough of Sakura's blood to last a lifetime. She gently sponge bathed Sakura, cleaned under her nails, washed and conditioned her hair, and gently took out the pieces of glass from her arms. It was only until she forced Sakura to sit up that she saw the bruise on the girl's back that was bigger than perhaps young Ichigo's head. Whatever Sakura did to Sasuke, he _punished _her good – or bad – which ever way you wanted to look at it.

By the time Sakura was dressed and back on the couch, Yom was already cleaning the bathroom and had the young woman's clothes thrown away – they were dirty, bloody, and torn. Nothing could have saved those poor pieces of cloth.

She recalled the nights where Sakura would tell her in confidence how she wished she could leave, how she wished she would have left years ago.

She also recalled the nights where Sakura told her, if Sasuke ever got mad enough to kill her, that she had a will already written. In this will she had 3.1 million dollars prepared to give to Ichigo and his guardian. The guardian, whom she also wrote in the will, was to be Yom. Yom was shocked. Now she had seen many things in her lifetime but being told that Sakura trusted her with not only her son but 3.1 million dollars as well was one of the biggest, and most unexpected, surprises she had gotten yet.

Now if she were any other person, a person who craved money, she would have let Sakura die and just taken the will and Ichigo, along with the money. But Yom, of course, was not that type of person and she refused to let Sakura die.

Yom's steeled her resolve. Her plans, plans that she had been planning for months, were finally going to come into play. Sakura was going to get the hell out of this house with Ichigo and Yom was going to move far far away so Sasuke would never find her to extract revenge for helping his wife and son leave him.

She walked into the master bedroom and grabbed two luggage cases and filled them with as much of Sakura's clothes as she could. She grabbed another bag and filled it with all of Sakura's hygiene necessities and a small bag of 'sock money' as Sakura liked to call it – a couple hundred dollars that was emergency money. She also made sure that Sakura's wallet was in her purse as well. Next Yom made sure that Ichigo had all of his clothes, shoes, and necessities packed between two suitcases. All the bags, Yom made sure she piled next to the door.

Sakura and Ichigo would be out of this house before the sun went down – She would make sure of it.

Yom looked to the clock, it read 7:05. Less than two hours before Ichigo would be waking up. Yom went into her bag and pulled out a small tube of paste. It was special paste – paste that her grandmother had taught her to make since she was a young child.

Kakoma Kato was a woman who dabbled in the ancient healing arts, when Yom was growing up her grandmother had passed a few of these arts down to her. Yom didn't make it a habit to practice these but after she became the maid at the Uchiha Manor, she made sure to have this special paste.

No one knew of it and it couldn't be used often.

Yom sat on the ground next to Sakura before applying the paste to all of the places in which she had bruises or cuts. Yom would never tell Sakura of the paste that she used on her, nor would Sakura ever find out or ask.

The bruises and cuts started to gradually fade away. The paste wasn't magic. It was an art. An old practiced art passed down through generations.

Yom would not pass it on; the secrets would die with her. But, for this once, she would use the last of this art on the girl who deserved it the most.

An hour passed before Sakura finally awoke. Emerald eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Sakura-sama."

Sakura turned to look at Yom, who was sitting on the loveseat across the room. "How long was I asleep, Yom-san?" Her voice cracked, she could feel the crust around her eyes from her sleep.

"In and out since I arrived at five. It is almost eight-thirty now."

Sakura nodded before sitting up, feeling the groan of her muscles and the protest of her bones at the movement.

Her cuts were gone and so were her bruises. They normally were when Yom took care of her. Sakura was grateful for the woman who sat across from her – Yom was the only reason Ichigo still had faith in his father.

"Thank you." Yom nodded at the girl, accepting her thanks.

"Sakura-sama. Your bags are packed as well as Ichigo's."

Emerald eyes widened considerably. Why were her bags packed?

She turned to see the entry way and could see several bags, indeed, already packed.

"You and Young Master Ichigo will be leaving before nightfall. I have already prepared a meal for you and him once he awakes."

"B-but where are we going? Did Sasuke tell you to do this?"

"No, Sakura-sama. Sasuke-san did not tell me to do anything. This is for your own good. I refuse to let you get hurt any longer. You and Ichigo _will _leave."

Yom could see the girl starting to break down, the tears forming at her eyes. She quickly crossed the room and sat next to her, allowing the girl to cry into her shoulder as she stroked her pink hair. "It is for the best."

"But what about you?! Sasuke will come after you, I can't let that happen!"

"I will take my leave shortly after I can be sure you and Ichigo are gone. I have a plan to move to Paris, an old friend there will be awaiting for me at the airport. You are going to get your life back, Sakura-sama. You _are _strong enough to do this. I am sure one of your cousins will take you in until you find a place of your own. I have already made sure your accounts are no longer tied to Sasuke's and explained to the bank the reasons why."

At the widening of Sakura's eyes, Yom chuckled. "I have many connections, young one. Don't act so surprised!" A small smile spread against the young girl's features before she hugged the elderly woman.

Yom was giving Sakura her life back, a life where Ichigo could go to school and have a normal child hood.

"I will go get Ichigo now, and we will all eat together and then Ichigo and I will leave. I want to see you off as well so we will take you to the airport and I will personally buy your plane ticket to Paris."

Yom's eyes creased in a smile. Sakura-sama was truly one of the sweetest women she'd met in her sixty years of life. "Agreed, Sakura-sama."

"Please, just call me Sakura!"

* * *

Ichigo ran down the stairs and into the kitchen where he could smell his most favorite meal. "Mommy, Yom-baa-chan, Good Morning!" He said in a sing-song voice before scrambling onto one of the dining room chairs. Sakura laughed at him before ruffling his hair. "Good morning baby, did you sleep good?"

The two women sat down and ate together with the young boy, enjoying the peace and tranquility of his innocence and his laughter.

Before long they were all in the car, luggage packed safely in the trunk of Sakura's Range Rover. Ichigo thought they were going 'on a vacation' which, in some ways, they were. They had dropped Yom at the airport, with a few hugs and a kiss from Ichigo, they saw her off before heading back to the car.

Sakura had thought and thought about where she would go. One of the first things she tried to do once Ichigo fell asleep (car rides made him sleepy) was calling Sai to apologize. He obviously changed his number when Sakura got the operator saying the number was no longer in service. Of course, she was trying to call the number Sai had six years ago.

She decided to head toward Lake Santo, a small town near a big lake in lower New York. Some place that Sasuke would never know about. The drive would take quite a while but she figured she would be there before she knew it.

Several thoughts crossed her mind.

Sasuke would come looking for them. He would find them and make her come home, he could track her license plate number. He could track her credit cards. She would only have two weeks to get her affairs in order to try to get away from him.

He might call her cell but she doubted it. He didn't care that much and with the things that had happened recently she doubted that he'd send more than a five worded text message. She gripped the steering wheel, heading off the exit to get onto another interstate.

How does a man get so broken and hateful that he beats his wife. She didn't understand it. How could he want to ruin Ichigo's child hood. The thought of her son turning out anything like the monster of a father he had, she couldn't take.

She looked into the backseat at her sleeping son. He had a pillow propped up against the window, a blanket wrapped around him, and chip crumbs on his shirt. A little drool pooled at the side of his mouth. He was the typical little boy. He had multiple friends and she was sure he had a crush on a little girl at school as well. She couldn't – scratch that, she _wouldn't – _let Sasuke ruin his life.

She had to find a way to get him to leave her and her son alone. But since Ichigo was his heir, she doubted it would be easy.

That was why she was going to Lake Santo. Her cousin and her husband lived in four bedroom house near a small pond on a couple of acres of land. Her cousin's husband was a law student, her cousin was in the police force. She was sure with their help she could find a way to keep Sasuke away from her and Ichigo.

Getting off the exit for Lake Santo, she unlocked her iphone and scrolled through her contact list and hit the call button once she found her cousin's name.

"Hello?" It was a sweet voice.

"Tenten, it's Sakura!" She let a smile come across her face.

"Oh hey! What's up?"

"I'm getting off the exit now. Is it okay if Ichigo and I stay at your house for a little while?"

"Of course you guys can stay here. We have enough rooms. Besides, You know my door is always open to you." TenTen paused, "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I left, TenTen."

The other end was silent before TenTen whispered, almost disbelievingly, "You left? As in you left Sasuke?"

Sakura nodded, and then realized TenTen wouldn't be able to see that, so she said a confirmation.

"He just let you leave with Ichigo?"

"The thing is, he doesn't know. He left this morning for a trip to Japan and won't be back for a few weeks..." Sakura paused. "Listen, I'm going to need your help. I'll explain it all when I get there in a few minutes, I'm passing Chaco's now." Chaco's was a resturant that Sakura and TenTen came to when they were younger with their friends. It was their own personal landmark.

"Alright, I'll see you then."

They said a quick goodbye before hanging up. Sakura looked at her reflection in the rear view mirror. All of her bruises and cuts were gone except for one – one on her left eye where it was a sickish yellow. She assumed Ichigo hadn't noticed it but she knew TenTen would. Sakura mentally prepared herself for the barrage of questions as she pulled into the long driveway that would lead her to her cousin's home in the woods.

The house was two stories with a large foundation, large white columns, and pale yellow sidings. It was a gorgeous country home that was built in the 1900's and restored by TenTen and her husband along with the help from a renovation crew from a bigger outside city. It was TenTen's dream home.

Sakura noticed TenTen standing in the yard next to a dark long haired man with his hair tied back, a set of glasses perched on his nose. TenTen stared waving and jumping up and down, Sakura couldn't help but laugh at her antics. Once the car was parked, Sakura got out and recieved a giant hug from her cousin.

"My god, your hair has gotten so long Sakura, it's gorgeous!" TenTen exclaimed, touching Sakura's soft pink locks. It was a rare family trait from her father's side that TenTen had always been jealous off. TenTen was her cousin on her mother's side and had deep brown locks. Sakura laughed. "Come on, let's get Ichigo out of the car." Sakura unbuckled her still half asleep son before handing him off to TenTen.

"I'll get the bags." Neji offered before lifting up the trunk, refusing to let Sakura help – saying it was a man's job not a woman's. It was new for Sakura, who came from a marriage where she did everything and her husband did... well... nothing. Once TenTen laid Ichigo down in one of the spare bedrooms and Neji had finished bringing in their luggage, Sakura and TenTen sat in the living room on the oversized leather couch.

It was then that TenTen noticed the yellowish circle around Sakura's eye and it all finally dawned on her. Sakura never mentioned the beatings Sasuke gave her. She never mentioned the problems the two had except that Sasuke was trying to ruin Ichigo's child hood. But now, for TenTen, it was all falling into place.

Sakura left Sasuke and came here. Sakura needed their help. She thought it was all for Ichigo, but now, looking at her eye and the receding bruise, she realized that Sakura needed help for herself too. There was no doubt in TenTen's mind that this was not Sakura's first bruise from the man. She could feel the tears prickling at the edges of her eyes before she reached over to hug Sakura.

"Oh Sakura."

Sakura let the dam break. She normally held in all of her tears, she normally never complained. But it seemed, lately, she was crying in front of everyone... Sai, Yom, and now TenTen.

"Oh, Sakura, what has he done to you..."

He broke me.

* * *

A/N: Woah! Pivotal Chapter, no? It took me FOREVER to get this chapter written. I had it all planned out but it was like, everytime I tried to write it something would come up. I just started college classes and got a new job, say whaa?! I've also got a quiz I've got to do but instead I was writing this! O_O I wrote the first half like a week ago and then got a cup of coffee this morning and told myself I was _going _to finish this and have it published today! Also, I promised you guys I'd have this chapter be DOUBLE the word count of the last chapter so this should have been around 8K words but I only managed around 7.2K words of story content but I was close! The next chapter will probably be around 4-5K words.

The truth is out! So Sasuke has been beating Sakura this whole time? TenTen is Sakura's cousin, and is married to Neji? Sai is Sakura's cousin? What kind of effed up family tree is this!? And yes, Karin WAS the girl that Sasuke had an affair with in the Carribbean! Nice job to _Katey123! _Two people have given me their suggestions on who to pair Sakura with – Shikamaru or Deidara. I'm telling you, I'm having such trouble trying to decide who to use! Shikamaru would go well with the role I have planned but Deidara would make such a cute couple with Sakura and I think they personally go better than ShikaxSak. What do you guys think? Review, Review, let me know!

About Yom and her healing arts – the healing arts will NOT play a big role in this story and I don't even know if I'm going to elaborate on this idea. I just needed an explanation for why Ichigo never realized his mother was beaten by his father and this was the best way to do it. After all, Yom even said that the healing arts were going to die with her. I know this story is AU –Real Life, but I wanted to have a little bit of the Naruto world in there aside from the characters so I added basically some 'medical nin-jutsu' but with a cream instead and calling it the Ancient Healing Arts. Tell me what you think!

So what will TenTen and Neji's suggestions be for Sakura? How will Ichigo fair in this new environment? Where does Naruto come into play? How will Sasuke react to knowing his wife is leaving him? What is this about ancient healing arts?

Also, special thanks to the Katey123, Twisted Musalih, I-write-for-enlightenment, and the two guests who reviewed Chapter 2! So great to hear your thoughts on the story! Special thanks to my cup of coffee that got me through this chapter! (Coffee was in this chapter alot. Hence the chapter name, ahahah.)

Until Next time my dear readers,

Ex's and Oh's,  
Sky's Rocket.


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